Type-writing machine.



PATENTE@ 00T. 16,1906., J. ALEXANDER. u l TYPE-Wauw@ MACHINE.

.APPLICATION IILBD JUNE 2, 1902.

' 2 SHEETS-'SHEET 2.

l IN-vENTmR'-, /fofse /ex'a/zz/er' Y ing Machines, of W .UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JESSEALEXANDER, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, SSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO LEE ALEXANDER, KITTIE ALEXANDER, JR., AND TYVE ALEXANDER.

ALEXANDER, JR., JESSE TYPE-WRITING MACHINE.

'ch/the following is a full,

. clear, and exact description.

called the same.

.p details of the ribbonspoo key and bar With attached levers.

y invention relates to improvements in lt pewriting machines, and particularly to t e ribbon movement in machines of the sovisible-Writing class.

.The descri, tion hereinwill be more particularl condined to the mechanism for feeding, a justing, and operating the ribbon movement as ada ted to be used with a Ina-- chine, as more ful y set out in another application filedv herewith. f

The invention Will be found to consist in the' improvements hereinafter described, and

shown in the accompanying drawings, in Which-"y Figure 1 is a fplan view of mechanism embodying part o my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical projection of the principal parts lof Fig. 3 is an enlar ed plan view of and adjacent Fig. 4 is a detail of the ribbon-spool Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a shift Fig. 6 is another shift-key and bar parts. shaft.

a side elevation of With mechanism for raising and lookin the ribbon-guide, and Fig. 7 is a detail of a oeking device for the raising-shaft.

As shown -in the drawings, A is a shaft, which may be termed the universal sh'aft, which is rocked Whenever a type-bar strikes the universal bar B in the usual manner. C is a slotted `lever .connecting the universal bar B -With this universal shaft A. In the slot of this lever C operates a pivot d at one end of a U-shaped lever D. The other end e of this'lever connects With the bar E for elevating and operating at the propei` time the ribbon-guides e e.

` F is a stationary arm secured at a conven` ientpoint in the frame of the machine and pivot f. This pivoserves as a, guide for the',ribbo -shifter G, which is, itself pivoted at theldwer end at g t/o one- :orn'er of the U-'shaped Ilever D below'the Specication of Letters Patent. Application tiled June 2, 1902. Serial No. 109,927.

backward by the str `rear end of the slot Patented Oct. 16, 1906.

pivot d. The' outline of a frame of a maehineis shown in dotted lines.-

The mechanism so far described operates as follows: When the universal bar is moved the. ribbon up into the printinr position he-l fore the face of the type Whic is about to strike upon the platen.

In machines of this general class it is referred to usea double case of type', in W 'ch instance itis necessary that means should'be provided lfor'shifting from onecase tothe other. This I have done, as will appear more clearly in Figs. 5 and '6d H is av sniftkey bar situated at the left-hand side of thel machine and'being pivoted 'at t. Integral with this bar or carried thereby is an arm lt",

which when the key is depressed moves to the left in Fig. 5, carrying with it the slotted bar J Operating in the slot of this bard is a pin j, carried by the lever c, which is pivoted on the rock-shaft K. In Fig. 6 is found the exact duplicate Vin the reverse of the parts so far described, in which H is the shift-key bar and h is the arm coperating with the slotted rod J and thus with the rook-shaft K by means of the lever 7c. This rock-shaft K carries at a point near the central ortion a second lever k2, which connects wit a frame g2, carrying the Wheel upon which the carriage runs. The carriage is therefore moved in order to bring into operation the caso of type desired, as follows: The depression of either shift-key bar throws the sliding bar J or J toward. the front of the frame. The therein engages with a pin carried by one of the levers 7c or le of the rock-shaft K. This shaft is therefore rocked in such a manner as to throw the lever k2 upward, thus raisingr the carriage-supporting wheel r lifter# YVhen the ,carriage isthus shift/ed from one case of type tot/lie other,

I g against it of a type-f, bar in the usual manner, the lever C (more it will be noted, pnrtieulairly in Fig, (l, thnt thv ribbon-siiiltf,\r (lr, beingr nttnehed to thv frame g2, is lilted :1nd iu its upward morernent slides upon the stationary piuf, whirl] operates in its slot and enrries with it the U-slntped lever l), the pin d in the lutter lever slidingr in the slot ofthe lever (l. 'hen the carriage, therefore, is thrown onto the upper euse of type, for instenee, the U- shr ed lever is carried bodily upward, toget 1er with the vribbon-guide e, and through substantially the same distance. The striking of the universal ber et this time by at typelmr throws the lever C to the left and o erstes to reise the ribbon-guida es before, lt rough e distance sullieient to bringr thv ribbon under the printing position of the new case of type. At all other times then that in which the universal her is operating the ribbon is down below the printing position of the type. This feature insures thnt the Writing.;` shall be visible :it :ill times vxcept et the instant of' printing. At I, in Fig. 5, I have shown e shaft whirl is vonneeted by levers l l2 to the shilt-le bnr ll. This shnt't l carries the locking :irm or plete L of Figs. 6 and 7. 'lhe pin j, whivb operates in the slot of J, may prelerzibl projeet beyond the slot through to the other side of the slide J in such e manner as to eng ige :it tln` proper time with one of the notehes l of the locking-zirniL. When the shift-key bar ll, therefore, is depressed, the shaft. l is roeked and the locking-arm L is withdrawn from engti-gement with the pin y', thus leaving the rocking arm la free to operate as soon. :is the end of the slot reaches the pin j.. When, on the other hand, the shift-key bar H is deressed and the roek-slmlt 1i is operated, as hefore described, the pin j slides from the osition shown in Fig. 7, moving` to the right lnto the outer noteh Ziin the looking-erin L,

where it is held inpleee, thus giving the me;

chine a clear line of upper-onse type. rl`he looking-erm L may he released by .simply depressing the other shift-her Il, whivh drops the arm L. The key-arm I I is therefore used when a single upper-ense type is desired and the key-arm H when several :1re to Ibe struek'in :the upper ense.. Il nets afterward as a release-key. Any suitable means may be employed to hold the lte vlevers H and H in their norinnl positions'ns is common With key-levers in type-writer constructions.

The spools M, upon which the ribbon is wound, are loosely mounted upon the stubshafts m und carry the ratehet-wheels 7n m. These ratchet-Wheels are operated, es will hereinafter appear, by the movement of the pa-Wis a or a2 in accordance with whieh one is in engagement therewith et tie time. These spool-,shafts m are mede in sueh a manner as to be detachable from their supports in a, ready and convenient manner-- l l'or instz'inee, :is sl town pnrtieulnrly in Fig. 4, in which the end ol' the shaft is-reeessed L :1nd slightly expiinsible or vlnstie, so es to he ndupted to slip on over the bulb-shaped portion ol' :1. stationery support my. For eonvenienvv in bundling these shafts m the outer end muy bv provided. with a button m5, forming in nddition s bearing for the spring m4, which in its turn rietionnlly engages the bobbin-spool to furnish the desired tension in the ribbon.

vThe ribbon N hns et envh end n. pin n" :ind n2 of' sullieient length to operate in slots m and m7 in the fume ol the iibbqvn-spoois The ril-bon posses up eround the rollerguides/i3 n4, which sie mounted on stetionery shafts or rods in pinne ptrsllel to the piene o1' 'rotrtion ol the spools and et or near the rvn'irel portion is guided by the movable rollers e i' nd l, errried b the guided-od E, ne beioiedeseribed. -ln the position shownin Fie'v 2 the ribbon rised and rvtdy l'or the 'printing' :ilt type.

'lhe iozl (shww'n in Fie'. l) eonneets the tw.: p. wl-shil'ters o :.nd o'f, whieh r-re pivote-d to tite frme el' the inrehine s that when one is moved to the right the other movesto the right. 'lhese oued-shitting levers .fire slotted .'t p Wto embrace the piiwlwrryine terms A A2. The :1 rms :nd A2 ere oper- :tted by the universfl shiilt. The outer ends p p4 ofA the purl-Shifting,` leversere adapted to rest in reeesses of stttion: ry et tehes Q :ind Q, respectively, end thus be prevented from :ivvidentol lateral displacement. Stn tionery supports rire provided et. li and it2 for the double fri: me el' levers S S2, whieli opv.r.;.te the pewl-shil'lingl lever. The forked ends s s" oi these freine-levers engage with the ends p p4 oll the ribbon-shil'ting` levers o" und o2 :und 'ot the upper end projeet into the pat-h olf the pins n n", eftrried l the ribbon N.

The p'r.\`vls ai ond n? muy be provided with cheek-pieces a,3 and o", whivh projeet t; round the sides ofthe retehets und tend to keep the pewls in their proper oper.ftive position.

It now we eonsider the movement of the ribbon and the mevhzinism for shifting the seme, we will find in Fig. 2 thet -in the pairtieulzzr.position shown the ribbon hes just been wound upon the right-hi ndspool and' has just come into eontnet with the lever S ond thrown the left-hand shil'tinelreme to the right, eerrying with it, :is will plainly nppvttr, the pend-shifting lever o nud :it the `seme time the pewl-:irni N, errryingthe 'pzi'wl (1/, .rnd bringing' this letter into en operzitivv position reliitivv to the rntehvt m. At the seme time by ineens of the conneetingrod O the right-'lured purl-shitting lever hes thrown the right-hond pnwl o2 out of' engagem ment with the i'.itehet Any operntion, therefore, of the keys of the machine which )y the ends ofA the pin yI1. r. t the leftdnrnd end of the ribbon villgmevetherumvesnbi ndose i 'l hand spool and unwound from t .pa'wlsliiftingarm o2, and thus fssaaeo v gangli thespace of .one tooth; The re` leaseuniversal.jbar then releases the f pari` hereverse manner preparatory to 'ano' woke.n l Theoperation continues in step. bystep Whenever the uni- -passes to-.the outer end of the slot m7 the lever with it the Willbe thrown to the left taking l h ringing t e pawl a into engagement with the ratchet m2.

' vention as herein set forth is At the same time the connecting-rod O movesthe'leftehand pawl-shifting arm o to theleft and disengages'the pav'vl a. The operation is therefore reversed, and any `further movementof the part of the universal bar will proceed to Awind the ribbon upon the right-hand spool as the operation was before continued' on the left-hand spool.

The general outline of a form of a machine which is convenient for embodying the in shown in dotted lines in the various figures and will more fully :appear in the Aother application before referred to, the partie1 r`ar parts shown and dei scribed herein bein T confined particularly to the mechanism for xlifting the ribbon :und automatically reversing the direction of feedl and for throwing the ribbon into the proper position in front of the type irrespective of Whether the upper or lower case of type is in use. These improvements are obviously useful in connection with machines of other gneral construction, but are articularl ada ted to use as described. p l 'y p What I claim isi 1. In a type-writing machine, a ribbonspool carrier comprising a stationary shaft having a bulb-shaped end, a shaft having a recess With yielding walls adapted to engage ltherefronr at each 'a shifting-arm for each Aforming .guideways therefor, a connecting*y `bar betweensaid shifting-arms, and a pair of t thereby,- pawls carried 'the ends of thesaid paWl-shifting vand means for moving said comprisingpivoted levers adapted to be aumovement of 7 rock shaft,

.vers and to said bulb-shaped end, said secom.i shaft carrying a coiled spring-for frictionally engaging l the ribbon-spool and having at the outer end 4an enlarged abutting .escribed 1 2. In a ribbon-operating mechanism for a type-writinginachine t ev combinationlol" a pair of ribbon-spools having horizontal axes, a vertically-positioned and centrally-located ribbon-guide? frame, mechanism for raising and lowering the same, and a stationary piece, substantially as guide-rod on each side of said frame and parallel thereto., f 3. In a type-writing'machine, auniversal rock-shaft, an 4arm 1-'extending` Lforwardly l end, a pawl-arm pivoted to each of said forwardly-extending arms and standing in a substantially vertical position,

ratchet-Wheels having horizontal axes and adapted to be operated .by the vertical move- 1 l i ment of the pawlarms.

.4. Ina type-writing machine, a universal Vrock shaft,.. paWl thereby, with the engaging each of said rod connecting said shifting-levers, stationary catch-blades adapted to engage the ends of the said awl-shifting levers and to Yhold them in t e one or the other stantially as described.

5. In a typeeivriting machine, 'a universal rock-shaft, pawl-carrying arms operated thereby, pawls carried' by said arms, a awl.

of said pawl-arms f 7s. ,-carryng arms operated ends formed into relatively -ly stat1onary pawl-hooks, a pawl-shifting lever paWl-carrying arms, a .1 d'

position, sub# shifting lever engaging each of said paw -carfy rying arms, a rod connecting said shiftingl,

levers, stationary catch-blades adapted t'o en-l gage the ends of the said pawl-shifting`levers and scribed. 1

6. In a type-writing machine,t a universal rock-shaft, pawl-carr ring arms operated by said arms, separate` ,e

pawl-shifting levers engaging said fp'awl-'carry--. l

t roch). g

to engage levers andA mg arms, a rod connecting saidl shi ing-levers, stationary eatch-blades adapted tohcld themiin the one `or the other position, ,1

tomatically perated by 'the the ribbon, substantially as described.

7. In a type-writing machine, a universal y foarrying arms operatedv thereb pawls carried by said arms, separate `pawhs ifting levers pawl engaging said pawl-carrying arms,

engage the position, and means for moving said shift-in glevers comprising pivotedlevers adapted tobe i A V- automatically operated by, pins carried by the ends of theribbon,siibstantially as described.

8. in a type-writing machine, a universal rockfshaft, vertical paWl-carrying arms operated thereby, pawls carried by said arms, a.

to hold them in the one or the other f l position, and means for automatically moveI ing said shifting-levers, substantially as de-` shiftingflevers f I..

a rod connecting said shitinglevers, stationary catch-blades adapted to ends of the said pawl-shifting le-4 hold them in the one or the other guide,

in said slots, shifting-frames adapted tomove said shifting-levers and to coperatie with the pins carried by the ends of said ribbon to automatically reverse the feed of the ribbon.

9. In a type-writing machine, a movable ribbon-guide, a universal rock-shaft, a lever carried by said universal rock-shaft'andy a U-shaped lever pivoted at one corner and havin a pin op rating in a slot in the lever carrie by sali universal shaft, said U- shaped lever being connected with said ribbon-guide and adapted to raise the same, substantially as described.

10. In a type-writing machine, a universal lever operable by the key and type-bar mechanism and having a vertical slot, a lverticallyinovable ribbon-guide, and a pivoted lever connected to said lguide and having a pin engaging in said slot, and means for lifting said guide independently of said universal lever.

11. n a ty )e-writing machine, a universal bar, a slotted} lever operated thereby, a ribbon-guide, a lever enacting with said slotted lever for operating said ribbon-guide, a stationary guide, a vvertically-movable ribbonshiiter rod coacting with said stationary guide said ribbon-operatingr lever being pivoted to said ribbon-shift rod so that said ribbon-guide may be operated by said universal bar when the ribbon-shii ter rod is in eitherits upper or lower position,

12. In a type-writing machine, a universal bar, a slotted lever carried thereby, a ribbona vertically-movable ribbon-shifter rod, a lever pivoted to said rod and connected to said guide and having a portion coacting with'the slotted lever whereby the ribbonguide may be operated by 'the universal bar when the ribbon-shifter rod is in either its upper or lower position, and means for locking said shifter-rod in its upper position.

13. Ina type-writing machine, a universal bar, a slotted lever carried thereby, a ribbonguide, a vertically-movable riblmn-shifter rod, a lever pivoted to said rod and connected to said guide and having a portion coacting with the slptted lever whereby the ribbon-guide maybe operated by the universal bar when the ribbon-shifterrodis in either 1ts upper or lower position, and means forl guide may locking said shifter-rod in its upper position, comprising a notched lever'and meansor operating the sam l 14. In a type-writing machine, a universal bar, a slotted lever carried lthereby. a rbbonguide, a vertically-movable ribbon-,shifter rod, a lever pivoted-to vsaid rod and connected to said guide and having a portion coacting with the slotted lever whereby the ribbon-guide may be l'operated by the universal bar when the ribbon-shifter rod is in either its upper or lower position, and means for locking said shifter-rod in its upper position, comprisinga notched lever andra shift-key for operating the saine. p Y

15. In a type-writing machine, a universaly bar, a slotted lever carried thereby, a ribbonguide, rod, a lever pivoted to said rod and Iconnected to said guide and having a portioncoacting with the slotted lever whereby the ribbonbe operated by the universal bar when the ribl'ion-shifter rod is in either its upper or lower position, and means for locking said shifter-rod in its upper position, comprising a notched lever and a pair of shift-keys either of which is adapted to operate said ribbon-shifter rod, one of which keys carries said notched lever.

16. In a type-writing machine, a member4 having a vertical slot and operable by means .of the key and type-bar mechanism, avver-- a vertically-movable ribbon-shifter y tically-movable ribbon-guide, 'a verticallymovable rod operable by means ol the shifting mechanism, and said rod and to said operable in said slot.

17. A ribbon-feeding mechanism for a type-writing machine including, a pair of ril)bon-spool-carrying shafts, ratchet-wheels therefor, a universal bar operable by means of the key and type-bar mechanism, a pair of flexible pawl members operable thereby for engagement with said ratch'ets, and a laterally-movable reversing device including arms engaging'said pawl members.

JES. iE ALEXANDER platena lever pivoted to gulde and'havlng a pin W'itneses:

Ia-Enr Nn, Rom. .Q ArLvN. 

